Italy vs Northern Ireland
head-to-head record
- Italy wins
- 8
- Draws
- 3
- Northern Ireland wins
- 1
12 meetings, 1957 to 2026Goals: Italy 21, Northern Ireland 6
Italy and Northern Ireland have met 12 times since 1957. Italy have won 8, Northern Ireland 1, and 3 matches ended level. They last met on 26 March 2026, when Italy won 2–0 in World Cup qualifying.
The 12 meetings have produced 27 goals, 2.25 per game. The biggest win is Italy’s 3–0 in Euro qualifying in 2011. Italy are unbeaten in the last nine meetings (7 wins, 2 draws). They went 35 years without meeting, between 1961 and 1997.
Who has won more, Italy or Northern Ireland?
All matches12 matches
Competitive7 matches
Friendlies5 matches
Key numbers
- Goals
- Italy 21, Northern Ireland 62.25 per game
- First meeting
- Italy 1–0 Northern IrelandWorld Cup qualifying, 25 Apr 1957
- Most recent
- Italy 2–0 Northern IrelandWorld Cup qualifying, 26 Mar 2026
- Italy’s biggest win
- Italy 3–0 Northern IrelandEuro qualifying, 11 Oct 2011
- Northern Ireland’s biggest win
- Northern Ireland 2–1 ItalyWorld Cup qualifying, 15 Jan 1958
- Most goals in a meeting
- Italy 3–2 Northern IrelandFriendly, 25 Apr 1961
- Current run
- Italy unbeaten in 9
- TFN Elo rating now
- Italy 1964 (12th), Northern Ireland 1721 (57th)How the rating works
Last five meetings
- Italy2Northern Ireland0
World Cup qualifying
Bergamo, Italy
- Northern Ireland0Italy0
World Cup qualifying
Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Italy2Northern Ireland0
World Cup qualifying
Parma, Italy
- Italy3Northern Ireland0
Euro qualifying
Pescara, Italy
- Northern Ireland0Italy0
Euro qualifying
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Who has had the upper hand over time?
The line climbs with every Italy win and drops with every Northern Ireland win, so its height shows who has won more meetings up to that point.
Every meeting on one timeline
Home, away and neutral
In Italy's home games
8 matches
800
ItalyDrawsNorthern Ireland
In Northern Ireland's home games
4 matches
031
ItalyDrawsNorthern Ireland
Record by competition
| Competition | Played | Italy | Draws | Northern Ireland | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup qualifying | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6–2 |
| Friendly | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 12–4 |
| Euro qualifying | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3–0 |
Meetings by decade
| Decade | Results | Played | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3 | 8 | |
| 1960s | 1 | 5 | |
| 1990s | 1 | 2 | |
| 2000s | 2 | 5 | |
| 2010s | 2 | 3 | |
| 2020s | 3 | 4 |
Longest runs
| Longest run of | Italy | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|
| Wins in a row | 41961 to 2009 | 11958 |
| Unbeaten meetings | 91961 to 2026 | 21957 to 1958 |
Top scorers in Italy vs Northern Ireland
- 1Antonio CassanoItaly2
Scorer records exist for 5 of the 12 meetings, mostly competitive matches. Own goals are not credited to a player.
Questions answered
How many times have Italy and Northern Ireland played each other?
12 times, starting on 25 April 1957. 7 of those meetings were competitive and 5 were friendlies.
Who has won more matches between Italy and Northern Ireland?
Italy, with 8 wins to 1. 3 matches ended level.
What is the biggest win in Italy vs Northern Ireland?
Italy’s 3–0 win in Euro qualifying on 11 October 2011 in Pescara.
When did Italy and Northern Ireland last play?
On 26 March 2026 in Bergamo, when Italy won 2–0 in World Cup qualifying.
What is the competitive record between Italy and Northern Ireland?
In 7 competitive matches, Italy have 4 wins, Northern Ireland have 1, and 2 ended level.
Every Italy vs Northern Ireland result
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Italy | 2–0 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Bergamo, Italy | |
| Northern Ireland | 0–0 | Italy | World Cup qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Italy | 2–0 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Parma, Italy | |
| Italy | 3–0 | Northern Ireland | Euro qualifying | Pescara, Italy | |
| Northern Ireland | 0–0 | Italy | Euro qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Italy | 3–0 | Northern Ireland | Friendly | Pisa, Italy | |
| Italy | 2–0 | Northern Ireland | Friendly | Campobasso, Italy | |
| Italy | 2–0 | Northern Ireland | Friendly | Palermo, Italy | |
| Italy | 3–2 | Northern Ireland | Friendly | Bologna, Italy | |
| Northern Ireland | 2–1 | Italy | World Cup qualifying | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Northern Ireland | 2–2 | Italy | Friendly | Belfast, Northern Ireland | |
| Italy | 1–0 | Northern Ireland | World Cup qualifying | Rome, Italy |
Recent form
Italy
Related rivalries
More Italy head-to-heads
Italy vs Switzerland62 meetings
Italy vs France43 meetings
Italy vs Spain41 meetings
Italy vs Germany39 meetings
Italy vs Austria38 meetings
Italy vs Hungary34 meetings
Italy vs England32 meetings
Italy vs Belgium27 meetings
More Northern Ireland head-to-heads
- Northern Ireland vs England99 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Scotland96 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Wales95 meetings- Northern Ireland vs Germany21 meetings
- Northern Ireland vs Spain19 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Denmark14 meetings- Northern Ireland vs Austria13 meetings
Northern Ireland vs Portugal13 meetings
Results through 6 October 2026. Page updated 3 November 2026. How these numbers are calculated.